Authorities: Student who robbed woman was 'having a bad day'

March 04, 2009

A DePaul University student allegedly snatched a purse from an elderly woman, dislocating her shoulder in the struggle, because he was having a bad day and wanted someone else to share his misery, authorities said today.

The witness who chased down the suspect and held him for police said he was glad he stopped "a pretty cowardly thing."

Zachary Goldak, 19, of the 3200 block of North Broadway, is charged with aggravated robbery and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

At his bond hearing today, Assistant State's Atty. Erin Antonietti said that about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Goldak came up behind the 78-year-old victim on the sidewalk near his home and grabbed her purse. The two struggled and he pushed her to the ground, dislocating her shoulder.

As he fled, the witness yelled for someone to call the police and chased Goldak to the entrance of his apartment building where he recovered the purse and held Goldak until police arrived, the prosecutor said.

"When officers arrived, the defendant told them that he was having a bad day and [expletive] that woman, she could have a bad day, too," Antonietti said.

The witness who chased the suspect, criminal defense attorney Jake Howard, had just parked his car at a meter on Broadway, south of Melrose Street, when he saw the robbery unfold.

At first, he thought the two people just stumbled and fell together. But then he realized there was no ice on the sidewalk, he said.

"When he hopped up and picked up the bag I knew something was wrong," Howard said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "If someone grabs a bag and starts running, they're up to no good as far as I'm concerned."

Another man ran to the woman's side, so Howard quickly decided to try to apprehend the alleged suspect, he said.

Howard, who plays rugby in his spare time, said he knew he could catch the guy.

At first the suspect was just walking in a fast pace, Howard said. "I told him, you better run (expletive)."

The suspect took off to a nearby apartment building and began to fish for his keys, Howard said.

"It seems like a dumb idea to snatch a purse in front of your apartment," Howard said.

Howard said he couldn't allow the suspect to get inside or he would lose him, so he jumped in the doorway and closed the door on the suspect's left hand. The suspect didn't put up much resistance and only said, " 'Dude, let my hand out of the door,' " Howard said. "I said no."